Track-laying machine.



L. GUDGELL.

TRACK LAYING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED 11118.18, 1911.

1,045,397, Patented Nov. 26, 1912.

3 SHEETS-BEBE? 1.

GELL.

GUI)

TRACK LAYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION rum? AUGJB, 191

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented NOV. 26, 1912.

FAG

L. GUDGELL. TRACK LAYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 18, 1911.

1,945,397, iatented Nov. 26, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

. UNITED sra rns LLEWELLYN ennsnnn, or cannsnunarnnmors.

TRACK-LAYING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 26,

Application filed August 18, 1.911: Serial No. 644,876.

To all whom it may concern} Be it known that I, LLEWELLYN GUDGELL,

the device'may be used with equally facile and effective results in removing the rails from the ties. and placing them alongside thereof.

The invention relates more specifically to that type of machine which is adapted to run along or travel on rails which it has itself laid, and to pick up other rails which have been thrown at the side oi the track or the capacity, utility, speed and efiiciency of devices of this characterl- In this connection it is'a further object to save the greater part of the expense incident to the heretofore existing machines of this character, by accomplishing a much greater amountof work with a less number of men.

Another object is to provide novel pivotal means for the boom or crane, the frame, and parts connected thereto.

It is an object to provide a machine comprising but a single truck and asingle frame and boom.

The invention further contemplates a machine Which will lay the rail of either side of the track with equal facility Without moving the truck or carriage and Without the agency of a second or subsidiary truck or carriage Which necessitates a supplemental track carried by the supporting carriage.

A still further object is'to provide simple means 'for separating the Worltting parts from the supporting truck. or car; and in this connection to provide attached means for supporting the former after they have been disassembled.

It is an object t pr vid novel means on It will be manifest, as the nature of the invention is, further disclosed and better understood, that which the rear portion of the frame may travel in the act of swinging from to either side.

I shall not endeavor to encumber this specification and the accompanying drawings with descriptions and illustrations of elements or of modifications which are neither essential to nor form any part of the invention herein claimed. In fact, it will be apparent without such that struction and by modifications involvingv merely mechanical skill, without departing from the spirit and scope of "the invention, which consists not only in suchfeatures as are specifically-1 pointed out in the claims, but also in combinations of elements and the arrangement and disposition of the parts for co-action, as will also be pointed out in said claims.

In the accompanying drawings whiczr illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention: Figure 1 is a top plan; nig. 2, a side elevation; Fig. 3, a rear elevation; Fig. 4C, a front elevation, Fig. 5, a top-plan odetail, taken in the line 55 in Fig. 1; Fig. 6, a. transverse sectional detail in the line 6-6 in Fig. 4; and Fig. 7, an enlarged detail perspective.

Coming now to'a detail description of said drawing and referring thereto by numerals.

of reference, the same one of each is applied to the same part in each figure, 2, 2 represent the side frame bars; 8, 3, the end frame bars; 4-, 4: intermediate'irame bars; 5, 5, stays; 6, 6, diagonal frame bars; 8, 8, axles; 9, 9, bearings therefor and 10, wheels mounted on said bearings. xcepting that the platform is absent and that this car is longer, these parts are identical with those of an ordinary railway push car or truck and need not be further herein described.

11 designates a platform for a roller-box 14 comprising concentric plates or ribs 12 provided with bearings for the gudgeons oatv a nest of rollers 13 or, other anti-friction means, said ribs being united at their ends by plates 15.

16 is an arcii'orm bearing-box comprising duplicate top and bottom pieces 17 and 18 respectively, and ends 23. The bottom 18 is adapted to traverse the rollers 13 in swing ing the boom and connected parts as will presently appear. I r

19 is a triangular platform comprising joists 20 fixedrat their apex to the boom numerous changes may be made in the details of con hereinafter described, and is provided with a part floor 21. The oists pass through and are fixed to the box 16. 22 is a hand-board or brace. Fixed to and onplatcs 2% by 'rods 25 and lag screws 26 which are threaded into the platform 19 is a windlass 27 comprising standards 28, cross rods 97,bearings 29, crank-shaft 36 mounted; tl1GlEiI1,'tt driving pinion 30 fixed on said shaft, second bearings 31 a journal 32 fixed thereon, a reel 33 fixed on said journal, and a cog wheel34- also fixed thereon and in mesh with said pinion. A ratchetiidiixed on the crankshaft and a pawl 37 pivoted on one oi the standards 28 are adapted to lock said reel when required.

Reference is to be now had particularly to Figs. 2, 4,5, and (3, 39 designates a platelike truss fixed at its ends by bolts 40 and nuts 41 (Fig. 2) to a tie-plate 4'2 restingbeneath the frilll'lCdHll'S 2, and is provided with a centrally disposed aperture 4:3, Fig. 6. 44 is a ball-carrying plate provided with a race it for a plurality of balls t3 and with a centrally disposed aperture, and is fixed to the truss 32) by lag screws l? which are threaded also into the longitudinal bars 5. 48 is a bcaring-plate provided "with a central aperture for the reception of the shankof a pivot bolt d9, the head of which rests in a recess in the boom. and the shank of which engages a nut 50 adapted to be threaded up against the truss 39. The plate 48 is adapted to turn on the balls45 in an evident manner. 51 is a boom or eranearm, seated in a bracket comprising L shaped members which are fixed to the plate as by bolts 53, as shown at Fin. t. The bolt 4-9 thus becomes a pivot on. which the boom swung. bracket arms 52, by bolts 53. with its end resting" on the boom, is a tension post or mast 5-1- apertured near its top "for the re ception of a sheave 55 mounted on a journal 56, and in a lower plane apertured for the reception of a sheave 57 mounted on a journal 59. One end of a cable 0 which traverses the sheave-" 5 is fixed to the windlass reel and its other end carries rail tongs (31. A truss rod 2 which rests on the sheave 57 is lined at its forward end to the boom and at its rear end to the platform 19. (33 is a turirlmckle. ()4 are brace-blocks on the faces of the bracket arms (35 is a step; 66 a hand rail 67, counterbalance rails; 69, railway ties; 70, the track rails; 71, fish-plates; and 72, a rail grasped by the tongs 61. i

In order that confusion might not result I have in some of the figures omitted the horses 74 and other parts elsewhere shown and herein described; and in order' to more clearly illustrate certain features which are indistinctly shown in the principal figures, have shown them enlarged atFigs. 5 and Fixed between the In operation: assume loose rails to have been deposited alongside the ties and the truck to be standing on a section of laid track. The two men usually employed in rear of the machine will grasp said rear end and swing the )arts supported on the bearings to bring the forward end of the boom into such position that the tongs may grasp the rail which it is desired to lay. This having; been done, the Windlass men will wind the cable upon the reel in an evident manner to thereby elevate the rail. The reel may then be locked by the pawl and ratchet, whereupon the boom may be swung on its pivot, the at nine 16 rolling over the rollers 13 and relieving the rear portion of the boom from friction. It will be evident that when a heavy rail is being positioned there will be little or no friction or weight on said rollers. The rail is guided by one or even two operators, and if it not at first brought to the proper position the truck may be run back or forth as may be necessary to effect proper placement. A, shim may then be placed between said rail and tl adjacent laid one and said rails heeled. its companion having been similarl handled and positioned, the car may t en be run forwardly on the rails thus laid, to pick up, transport and position another rail in like manner. it will not be necessary to at this time nagethe rails thus laid, nor to provide them with fish plates. In relaying, the old spikes are but partly withdrawn, and the new rail may he slid up under the heads tin-reef in an evident manner, whereby gaging is saved. The application of the fish plates} as also the spiking, is done by the track men following in rear of the machine.

The coun erbalance weights 7 are selec' tively employed when rails of various weights are being laid, one or more of the tormer being dispensed with when light rails are being handled. \Vhen the boom is swung to either side to grasp a rail, these weights 67 normally cause frictiomon the rollers 13. This is counteracted by one of tha operators stepping on the step 65. The hand rail may be employed, if desired, in swinging the boom, which swings as freely to one side as to the other.

\Vhile it would be diflicult to raise the apparatus from the track in its entirety, it is easily doiie by the workmen when the pivoted parts are disengaged from the car and parts permanently secured thereto, which include the ball and the roller bearings and the boom-bracket. In order to effect the disconnection it is necessary only to remove the nut 50 from the bolt 49, whereupon the boom and all parts supported thereby and attached thereto may be raised until the order that it may not be necessary to stoop to deposit upon the ground the parts thus lift-ed, or to raise them from the ground when the device is again to be operated, (both of which would require extra help I have provided horses or like supports 74:, one hinged at 75 to and beneath the boom and the other to and beneath the platform 16. They may be secured in inoperative positions and entirely out of the way by hooks 76 and eyes 77. In order that the boom and connected parts may not be swung to too great an extent I have provided a bent rod 78 fixed to the car, rod or chain 79 slidable thereon, and a hook 80 secure'dto the boom whereby the parts may be disconnected, when the upper and lower structures are disconnected. After the upper structure has been removed from the car the latter may be easily moved by the handle extensions of the framebars 2. The boom is strengthened and all tendency thereof to sag is obviated by the truss-rod 2 and turn-buckle 63.

Having thus set forth my invention I claim as new the following, to-wit:

1. In combination with a car, a boom pivotally mounted approximatelyat its midlength thereon, an anti-friction bearing supported on said car, means supported by and adapted to traverse said bearing for sup porting one end portion of said boom, a Windlass supported above said boom and disposed near one end thereof, a cable operable by said Windlass and extending to the distant end of said boom, and rail-tongs carried by the free end of said cable.

2. In combination with a car, a boom pivotally mounted approximately at its midlength thereon, substantially parallel with the floor thereof, and adapted to reciprocate but not to rotate, an anti-friction bearing supported on said car, means supported by and adapted to traverse said bearing for supporting one end portion of said boom, a windlass supported above said boom and c disposed near one end thereof, a cable operable by said windlass and extending to the distant" end of said boom, and rail tongs carried by'the free end of said cable.

3. In .combinat-ion with a car, a boom pivotally mounted approximately at its midlength thereon and substantially parallel with the floor thereof, an arohiform bearing supported on said car, near one end thereof,

means supported by and adapted to traverse said bearing'for supporting one end portion of said boom, a Windlass supported above said boom and disposed near one end thereof, a cable operable by said Windlass and extending to the distant end of said boom, and rail-tongs, carried by the free end of said cable.

4. The combination with a car, of a-bearing supported thereby, a continuous, horizon tally arranged and horizontally swinging boom pivoted at its midlength and adaptedto swing thereon, a roller bearing intermediate its pivotal point and one of its ends, a bearing-box embracing and fixed to said boom, its bottom adapted to traverse said roller bearing, and means for elevating a track rail. I i 5. A track laying machinecomprismg a car, a balhbearing supported thereby, a-

bearing-plate adapted to turn' thereon, a bo'om supported on said plate, a bearing-box secured to said boom intermediate its pivotal point and one of its ends, a tension post supported by said boom, a sheave mounted therein, a wmdlass supported above said boom, a cable actuated by said Windlass, and

rail tongs carried by said cable.

6. A track laying machine comprising a car, a platelike truss secured thereto, an apertured bearing fixed on said truss, an apertured bearing-plate pivotally mounted on said bearing, a pivot-bolt disposed in the aperturesin said bearing and plate,.a boom supported on said bearing plate, a bearing concentric to said bolt, a bearing box fixed to said boom and adapted to traverse said last recited bearing, a platform supported by said boom, a windlass supported thereon, a

tension post adapted to turn with said boom,

sheaves mounted therein, a cable traversing one of said sheaves, one of its ends engaged -w1th said Windlass and its other with rail grasping means, and a tension rod travers- LLEWEL'LYN GUDGELL.

lVitnesses JonN Lnssf II. M. RICHARDS. 

